20. Apink - "Luv" The sweet girl group's latest single keeps their signature bright melodies, but adds a drop of melancholy in their voices as they long for a lost love. The complexity of the track is upped with its peppy, bubblegum-pop production at times waxing nostalgic on '90s hip-hop tracks -- think early hits by Will Smith and TLC.
19. Akdong Musician - "200%" Power rookie duo Akdong Musician’s bouncy, folk-inspired, pop-rap debut was an enormous chart success. Even as newcomers, the brother-sister duo’s froth and lighthearted innocence on top of their can't-look-away talent displayed in “200%” helped them land accolades and a growing fanbase.
18. Girls' Generation - "Mr.Mr." The phenom's slick, R&B-pop confection stealthily grows second by second with more embellishments, ad libs and clapping on each section. While it's not nearly as sonically jarring as brilliant 2013 single "I Got a Boy,"the outfit's latest is still infused with musical subtleties, they're just baked deeper inside.
17. B1A4 - "Lonely" B1A4's "Lonely" is a R&B/hip-hop ballad where the boys rap and croon over a subdued emotional melody. With a fascinating mix of '80s synths and Southern hip-hop styling, the melancholic track became one of the rising male act's biggest hits.
16. Girl's Day - "Something" Riding high on the success of their 2013 smash hits, "Expectation" and "Female President," Girl's Day released its sexy, disco-inspired pop piece “Something” earlier this year. It quickly raised the quartet to prominence, helping them becoming one of the most successful female K-pop groups of 2014.
15. Park Hyo Shin - "Wild Flower" After years on hiatus, Park Hyo Shin exploded back into the scene with "Wild Flower." For the wound-licking ballad, Park employs his powerful vocals with tantalizing sincerity over a lavish 50-piece orchestra to tell a story of one surviving through struggles.
14. 15& - "Can't Hide It" The teenage vocal duo proves that less in more with this slick, '90s R&B-inspired single that keeps the production simple and lets the girls' voices take the spotlight.
13. Loco Featuring Jay Park - "Thinking 'Bout You" A buzz track off Loco's latest EP Locomotive, the addictive, ratchet banger is competitive with today's biggest hip-hop hits with its head-bopping brass beats and cowbell elements -- all topped off with Jay's elastic vocals and ad-libs.
12. Orange Caramel - "Catallena" Quite possibly the oddest track of the year, the quirky trio's hit combined a Bollywood-inspired disco beat, Pakistani folk song, Nile Rodgers-esque guitar work, melodious baby coos and a renouncement of K-pop's heteronormative lyrics. It shouldn't work -- and, at first listen, it's rather jarring -- but somehow it all combines to one of the one of the year's most genius releases.